Rebirth: Daily Face Slaps - Chapter 39

On Saturday, there was a youth calligraphy and painting exhibition at the Youth Palace. Lin Mengting arrived on time, eager to observe and learn.

The first impression Lin Mengting had was of a sea of people.

The second thought that crossed her mind was, “There’s no story without coincidences.”

“Manager Ding, Deputy Manager Qian, are you here to see the exhibition too?”

“Just passing time,” Manager Ding said with a smile as he casually glanced at the paintings on the walls. “I heard you also like calligraphy and painting. Do you have any works in the exhibition? Can you show us?”

“I’m too old to compete with the kids,” Lin Mengting replied with a smile. “But there are indeed a few very talented pieces in this exhibition. In a few years, our country might see a few more prominent figures in the calligraphy and painting world.”

“I remember, you’re only 18 this year,” Manager Ding said, tilting his head towards Qian Zhiyuan, who had suddenly fallen silent. “Old Qian, I believe in our country, anyone under 25 is considered a youth, right?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Qian Zhiyuan replied vaguely, but his mind was already in turmoil.

【If he wasn’t mistaken, the people Lin Mengting was casually chatting with were all big names in the art world!】

【What was going on?】

【Could it be the ‘butterfly effect’? Or was Lin Mengting destined to be the protagonist? Was his role as a supporting character, trying to suppress Lin Mengting, not only ineffective but also fueling her potential and ambition, allowing her to rise even higher in a short time?!】

Manager Ding looked at Qian Zhiyuan strangely. Earlier, he had a tennis match scheduled with a client but ended up coming to the Youth Palace with Qian Zhiyuan, who had insisted they check on Lin Mengting. Qian Zhiyuan had suggested that Lin Mengting might be distracted by these trivial matters and unable to focus on her work, potentially showing signs of “burnout.” But now, Qian Zhiyuan seemed taken aback!

With such doubts in mind, Manager Ding began paying closer attention to the surroundings. He quickly noticed the respect people showed Lin Mengting at the Youth Palace.

“Lin Mengting, I heard the Youth Palace has started adult classes?”

“Yes,” Lin Mengting nodded to a passing staff member in uniform, then replied, “Skills like calligraphy, painting, dance, and music shouldn’t be exclusive or held in high regard only. They should be part of life, allowing everyone to master a skill and treat it as a hobby. Especially for our generation, who grew up in poverty and couldn’t attend the Youth Palace, there’s a sense of regret after starting to work. While we can’t avoid all regrets in life, reducing some is still good. Moreover, for anyone involved in art education, true art should integrate into life to keep the inspiration flowing. As the saying goes, ‘When three walk together, there must be a teacher among them.’ Teaching adults, unlike children, allows you to learn a lot from them too, like wisdom from life and insights into different industries.”

Manager Ding nodded slightly, lost in thought as he occasionally scanned the surrounding people.

“Lin Mengting, are you also enrolled in the adult classes?” After a long wait, with no questions from Manager Ding, Qian Zhiyuan couldn’t help but seize the opportunity.

Lin Mengting shook her head, looking puzzled as if she didn’t understand why Qian Zhiyuan would ask such a question.

At that moment, Zhang Qiang, who had noticed Lin Mengting earlier, approached, overhearing the question and couldn’t help but laugh.

Ignoring Qian Zhiyuan’s angry glare, Zhang Qiang, in a light blue dress, nodded to Lin Mengting and said, “Didn’t you say you had some questions for Grandpa Huang last time?”

“Grandpa Huang is here?” Lin Mengting asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Zhang Qiang pointed to the busiest area, “Grandpa Huang and his friends are there, reviewing the top three pieces!”

Then she invited, “Would you like to join us?”

“Of course!” Lin Mengting nodded vigorously. Even though she usually disliked crowds, she would make an exception for Grandpa Huang, the president of the Provincial Calligraphy and Painting Association and one of the few remaining masters in the country.

“Manager Ding, Deputy Manager Qian, would you like to join us?”

Manager Ding immediately shook his head. He had no interest in art and didn’t see the point of squeezing through the crowd just to hear a few critiques.

Qian Zhiyuan, on the other hand, looked at Manager Ding, then at Zhang Qiang, who seemed to have a mysterious hostility towards him, and finally said, “We’ll pass.”

After Lin Mengting left, Qian Zhiyuan’s gaze lingered on Zhang Qiang’s graceful figure, his confusion evident.

【Strange, in the previous life, there was no mention of a distinguished girl like her around Lin Mengting! Did he overlook something?】

【Or did this girl appear before, but they fell out for some reason, and that’s why she wasn’t around Lin Mengting after she became successful?】

【Now, he could only hope this person wouldn’t affect his plans.】

As Zhang Qiang linked arms with Lin Mengting, Lin Mengting couldn’t help but twitch her lips, finding Qian Zhiyuan, the “reborn,” increasingly puzzling.

“Tingting, were those two your superiors?”

Lin Mengting nodded, “One is the department manager, and the other is the deputy manager of the sales department.”

“So the department manager is higher than the deputy manager? But I sensed some arrogance from that deputy manager, as if he looked down on people,” Zhang Qiang laughed lightly, pointing out the problem. “It’s like he was above the department manager!”

And what was even stranger was that Manager Ding didn’t seem to notice this incongruity.

Or perhaps, Manager Ding did notice but tolerated it for some unspeakable reason?!